Information about the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba

Information about the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba

• The Government 
• The Governors
• The Parliaments of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba 
• The Island Governments  

The Government

Both the governments of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba are formed by a governor and the Council of Ministers. The Kingdom appoints the governors and they, in turn, appoint the ministers. Traditionally, each island of the Netherlands Antilles provides a minister for the national government. The governors have dual functions. They are both the heads of government and the representatives of the Kingdom in the territories of the Kingdom. They are not responsible for the decisions and actions of the government. The ministerial council is accountable to the popular representatives, the respective parliaments of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba (comparable to the Lower House in the Netherlands). The Netherlands Antilles has two administrative layers, the national government and the (five) island governments. The seat of the government of the Antilles is at Willemstad on Curaçao. Aruba has a single administrative layer. The seat of government in Aruba is at Oranjestad.

 The Governors

The governors look after the general interest of the Kingdom and make sure that no legislative or executive body decisions are taken in either the Netherlands Antilles or Aruba that could damage the uniformity of the Kingdom, or which contradict the provisions of the      Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands or any international regulation. The executive power rests with the governor, in co-operation with the Council of Ministers. The governors receive support in this from the Advisory Council, which consists of at least five members appointed by the governor, who issue advice on all subjects of national statutes, national laws, national resolutions incorporating administrative measures and the like. The governors chair this council, but only exercise their functions on special occasions. A deputy chair, named from the members of the council, presides over ordinary meetings.

The Parliaments of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba

The parliaments of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba represent the populace. They are chosen for four-year terms by general election. The representative body of the Netherlands Antilles consists of 22 members (Curaçao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, Saba en St. Eustatius 1 each). The parliament of Aruba has 21 members. With the governor, they form the legislative power. The members of parliament have the right of amendment, of parliamentary inquiry and of interpellation. They also have the power of initiative. They must approve the national budget.

 The Island Governments

Each island district has its own government that consists of the island council, the executive committee and the authority. The island councils of Curaçao (21 members), Bonaire (9 members), St. Maarten (11 members), Saba (5 members) and St. Eustatius (5 members) represent the people of the island districts. The members are elected for four-year terms. The executive committee and the authority can be compared to a municipal executive committee in the Netherlands. The executive committee comprises the daily management of the island districts and implements the resolutions of the Island Council.